For anyone who has ventured outside of our great state, you may have noticed there are some things that New Mexico does that simply cannot be done as well anywhere else in the world—sunsets and green chile are the first two that come to my mind.
Aztec Ruins
Closest City: Aztec, NM
Designation: National Monument
The Aztec Ruins hold some of the most well-preserved Chacoan structures. Here, you can explore the advanced architecture of the Aztec West and learn about the ancestral Pueblo people who lived around the restored Great Kiva.
Bandelier
Closest City: Los Alamos, NM
Designation: National Monument
Bandelier National Monument contains over 33,000 acres of canyon and mesa country. Within the monument are petroglyphs, dwellings carved into the soft rock cliffs, and tributes to the early cultures still in existence in the surrounding communities.
Capulin Volcano
Closest City: Capulin, NM
Designation: National Monument
Geology lovers will enjoy exploring the volcanic region with incredible views day or night. Visitors can see four different states from the rim of Capulin Volcano by day and one of the country’s darkest night skies.
Carlsbad Caverns
Closest City: Carlsbad, NM
Designation: National Park
Both above and below the ground, Carlsbad Caverns boasts some of the best views in New Mexico. Contained within the national park boundary are many species of wildlife, flora, and fauna; ledges carved by ancient seas; and caverns formed in limestone. Summer is the best season to catch one of my favorite events—bat flight. Spend a cool evening at the park and watch the Mexican free-tail bats soar in spectacular form from the caves out into the night.
El Malpais
Closest City: Grants, NM
Designation: National Monument
Explore the incredible geologic features of El Malpais including spectacular lava flows, cinder cones, lava tube caves, and sandstone bluffs. Whether you are searching for quiet solitude, recreation areas, or a place for adventure, the land of frozen fire has it all!
El Morro
Closest City: Ramah, NM
Designation: National Monument
El Morro should definitely be a stop on your bucket list of summer travel. A popular campsite for ancestral Puebloan, Spanish, and American travelers, you will find over 2,000 signatures, dates, messages, and petroglyphs carved into the bluffs.
Fort Union
Closest City: Watrous, NM
Designation: National Monument
Along the Santa Fe Trail lies Fort Union, the largest 19th century military fort in the region. Come visit the ruins of this agent of change that existed from 1851 to 1891 in the New Mexico Territory.
Gila Cliff Dwellings
Closest City: Silver City, NM
Designation: National Monument
For thousands of years, the caves above Cliff Dweller Creek were used as a temporary shelter for nomadic peoples. The agricultural Mogollon culture made this site a permanent home in the early 1200s. They built rooms, crafted pottery, and raised families in the cliff dwellings for generations.
Petroglyph
Closest City: Albuquerque, NM
Designation: National Monument
Petroglyph National Monument is a personal favorite of mine and happens to be one of the largest petroglyph sites in North America. The volcanic rock carvings date back 400 to 700 years ago. According to the National Park Service, “These images are a valuable record of cultural expression and hold profound spiritual significance for contemporary Native Americans and for the descendants of the early Spanish settlers.” (U.S. Department of the Interior, n.d.)
Salinas Pueblo Missions
Closest City: Mountainair, NM
Designation: National Monument
Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument hosts three distinct sites that offer a glimpse into a time in history that is characterized by cultural borrowing, conflict, and struggles symbolizing the Spanish and Pueblo people’s early encounters.
White Sands
Closest City: Alamogordo, NM
Designation: National Park
New Mexico is home to one of the world’s great natural wonders—the glittering White Sands, which happen to be the world’s largest gypsum dunefield. Spanning 275 square miles of desert, White Sands National Park is sure to awaken your sense of wonder as you explore the landscape, as well as the plant and animal life contained within.
Hopefully, this gives you some ideas of where to explore this summer and what our enchanting state has to offer! For more information on entry fees, things to do, and what to expect in these parks and historic sites, check out the National Park Service website at www.nps.gov.
All photos are property of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Resource:
U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.). New Mexico. National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/state/nm/list.htm
Article written by Karey Jeffress and originally published in Focus on Carlsbad 2024 Summer edition.
Karey Jeffress
Karey Jeffress, a Carlsbad native, loves helping others live their lives to the fullest. Karey’s passions for teaching and healthcare background have inspired her career in education. She has a Master’s in Public Health Promotion, and is working toward a Doctorate in Health Professions Education. Karey is the Allied Health Teacher at Carlsbad High School, a certified Mental Health First Aid and QPR Gatekeeper instructor, yoga teacher, mental health advocate, and community outreach professional. Her other loves include her husband, Dale, and her dogs, as well as attending concerts and baseball games, playing outdoors, local brews, and good nachos.
